Larger than usual crowd fills Grand Parade for Halifax Remembrance Day ceremony

HALIFAX – Two white crosses flanked the cenotaph at Grand Parade on the morning of Nov. 11. By noon, when the Remembrance Day ceremony came to an end, those white crosses had turned red — covered with dozens of poppies — as a crowd of people waited to add theirs to the tribute.

The annual ceremony in downtown Halifax usually draws a large crowd, but this event was especially well-attended and the recent deaths of two soldiers on Canadian soil were not far from people’s minds.

Rear Admiral John Newton, Commander of Maritime Forces Atlantic, said the large turn-out was heart-warming.

“The attendance definitely was about triple the normal attendance so I really think it is the events in Ottawa and Canada really struck a chord with Canadians and Haligonians,” Newton said. “It’s not just about us. It’s about the sense of community that comes with being Canadian.”

The larger-than-normal crowd was a welcome sight for veterans, who have seen a shift in how Remembrance Day is marked.

“I would say it’s changed maybe for the better with more people coming out,” said Donald James, who served with the merchant navy.

“In the past, you didn’t think much about it. The war was over and they felt, ‘So what? We won’t go to war anymore.’ But now, it’s generating more people all the time and they realize we did have something to do with making the world feel better.”

Pam Swinamer, who made it a point to attend this year’s event, agrees Remembrance Day has become increasingly important to her recently.

“I should come every year and I think I will start coming every year. It’s a wonderful, wonderful day and it should be a statutory holiday,” she said.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "I should come every year and I think I will start coming every year. It's a wonderful, wonderful day and it should be a statutory holiday," she said.

Meanwhile, Zdenko Juric, who came to the ceremony with his grandson, said showing his support had personal meaning.

He and his family moved to Canada from Bosnia in 1998 and he says he’s indebted to Canadian soldiers for helping his homeland during their conflict.

“They give their lives for other people, for other countries — not just Canada,” he said. “I came here to really appreciate what they did for my country, for myself, for my family.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "They give their lives for other people, for other countries — not just Canada," he said. "I came here to really appreciate what they did for my country, for myself, for my family."

The ceremony also brought together politicians from all levels of government, including Halifax Mayor Mike Savage, Federal Opposition leader Tom Mulcair and Senator Stephen Greene.

The events were held under the watchful eye of an increased police presence. Two officers, which Halifax Regional Police described as observers, could be seen on the roof of city hall.

Staff Sgt. Bill Morris said the response was not due to any direct threat, but recent attacks on soldiers in Ottawa and St-Jean-sur-Richelieu, Quebec meant an adjustment in resources.

“There was a slight increase in police presence, which many people noticed and spoke to our officers and thanked us for being there,” Morris said.

“We were able to adjust our resources accordingly to make sure that the police presence wasn’t overwhelming but it was sufficient to make sure the safety of everyone was kept.”